Galatians 2:6-10But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) - well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor - the very thing I also was eager to do.

Part II of II: The 2nd Jerusalem Visit

• In Part I, which we saw last Sunday in Galatians 2:1-5, Paul had introduced the beginning of his 2nd Jerusalem visit.

• Paul began with he & Barnabas & Titus going to Jerusalem, likely from Antioch.

• Then Paul said that they met privately with James, brother of our Lord, & the apostles Peter & John (see verse 9).

• These three agreed that a Gentile need not be circumcised to be saved.

Galatians 2:6But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) - well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.

Paul identified ‘those who were of reputation’ in verse 9, which included James, the brother of our Lord, who was not ‘officially’ an apostle but an elder in the church of Jerusalem, the first local church. This ‘James’ was not the brother of John, who was killed by Herod about the time of this meeting (Acts 12:1,2). Paul also met with the apostles Peter (aka Cephas) & John.

Galatians 2:6But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) - well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.

It seems that the Judaizers (the Legalists who came to the churches of Galatia) were trying to boost the authority & reliability of the leaders in Jerusalem, in an attempt to degrade Paul’s authority & reliability. The Legalists wanted the believers to be impressed by the leaders in Jerusalem & unimpressed by Paul. Paul wasn’t buying it - Christ taught & authorized him directly.

Galatians 2:6But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) - well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.

That God shows no partiality & that human merit is nothing before God is explained by Paul in more detail in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Peter & James both fully agreed with Paul on this key point: Acts 10:34; James 2:1-9.

Galatians 2:6But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) - well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.

Paul’s point was not at all to belittle the other leaders with whom he met. Paul was instead basing his statement on two facts that came out of the meeting: 1) these leaders didn’t add to the content of the gospel that Paul preached, & 2) these leaders didn’t add to Paul’s apostleship or authorization to preach the gospel. But as we will see, this doesn’t mean that their meeting ended on a negative or even neutral tone.

Galatians 2:7-9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

These three verses each divide up the apostolic ministry between Jew & Gentile… three times!

Galatians 2:7-9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

Paul had not grasped for anything, but was on the receiving end from God at every point.

Paul wrote:• Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians• 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon

James wrote:• James Peter wrote:• 1 Peter • 2 Peter John wrote:• Gospel of John• 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Revelation

Galatians 2:1-10 meeting: New Testament

authors

Other involvement in the New Testament by those connected

with the Galatians 2:1-10 meeting• Paul appears

to have been Dr. Luke’s ‘sponsor’ in the writing of the gospel of Luke & the book of Acts.

• Paul wrote at least one letter to Titus, which we have in the New Testament.

• Barnabas restored John Mark, who wrote the gospel of Mark, & Peter appears to have been his ‘sponsor’ (Acts 15:36-39; 2 Timothy 4:1; Philemon 24; 1 Peter 5:13).

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. This is translated from that Greek word for ‘sharp contrast’ we’ve been pointing out: alla. What is the sharp contrast? What came out of that meeting was in sharp contrast with the claims of the Legalists – the Judaizers!

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. James & Peter & John didn’t object to, add to or modify the gospel that Paul had been preaching. But they understood & perceived the truth, that is, that Paul had been entrusted with the gospel by Jesus Christ Himself, just like each of them.

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Peter & Paul, & those with them, each had a different ‘primary assignment’, but the gospel was still singular. There was no other ‘gospel’ nor a ‘different gospel’, as Paul had powerfully underscored to the believers in Galatians 1:6-9.

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. James & Peter & John saw & recognized what God had already done in & through Paul. There will be times in our own lives & in the life of this church body when our pivotal role will be to see & recognize what God has done!

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

The Jews were called ‘the circumcised’ here, while the Gentiles (the non-Jews) were called exactly that, or were called ‘the uncircumcised.

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Abraham, Isaac & Jacob were called pillars in other Jewish writings, as were some renowned scholars of the Law of Moses. The Legalists had apparently called James & Peter & John ‘pillars’, in order to place them well above Paul.

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

The Legalists’ strategy did not work at all! Instead (“But on the contrary”) James & Peter & John extended the right hand of fellowship to Paul & his companion Barnabas.

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. In the Greek text “the right hand of fellowship” is actually “right hands of a fellowship”. In that culture it meant that they each shook right hands among themselves, signifying their joint partnership in the spread of the one gospel.

Galatians 2:7,9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised,… 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. This meeting was the Legalists (aka Judaizers) worst nightmare: Paul’s gospel & apostleship had the same core content & authority as the others in Jerusalem. This meeting also clarified their areas of ministry & forged a partnership.

Galatians 2:10They only asked us to remember the poor - the very thing I also was eager to do.

Since Paul & Barnabas had been sent with famine relief funds for the church in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30), the leaders in Jerusalem did not want Paul & Barnabas to neglect the great needs of the Jewish believers in Jerusalem because of their assignment to the ministry to the Gentiles. Paul was in fact eager to ‘remember’ the needs of the saints in Jerusalem as well – Jewish or otherwise.

Galatians 2:7-9But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

What Paul received from God was very much like what you have received from God.

What you & Paul have both received, or are receiving, from God

• Entrusted

• God is at work

• Grace given

Galatians 2:6,7 Expanded & ExplainedBut from those who were, as the Legalists put it, ‘of high reputation’, namely James, our Lord’s brother, & the apostles Peter & John (their impressive credentials, as claimed by the Legalists do not impact either my gospel nor my apostleship; God shows no partiality based on any claimed human merit, or relative standing) - well, those who were of reputation, according to the claims of the Legalists, did not add to either the content of the gospel I preach, nor to the apostolic authority I have been given directly by Jesus Christ. 7 But contrary to the claims and aims of the Legalists, they perceived that I had been entrusted by Christ with the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been given a similar stewardship to the Jews, called the circumcised…

Galatians 2:8-10 Expanded & Explained(for He who effectually worked in and energized Peter in his apostleship, being commissioned as Christ’s special messenger, to the Jews, who were marked by circumcision, also effectually worked in and energized me also to go to the Gentiles), 9 and these leaders recognizing the grace given ministry that had been granted to me, James, our Lord’s brother, and the apostles Cephas (also known as Peter) and John, who were reputed by the Legalists to be awesome spiritual pillars, shook right hands with me and Barnabas as a genuine gesture of fellowship and partnership in ministry, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor - the very thing I was eager for and had come to do.